Sickness leaves Westwood relying on a wild card

Lee Westwood, left needing a Ryder Cup wild card after falling ill during the third round of the Bridgestone Invitational, withdrew from the event yesterday.

The former European No1 had to finish in the top six to retain any hope of qualifying automatically for next month's match, but his Saturday 74 had dropped him to 66th place in the 78-man field.

Westwood complained of feeling sick and feverish when he came off. A doctor was called, but anti-biotics failed to do the trick and after a bad night he announced he was pulling out and flying home.

The coming week's BMW International Open in Munich is the final counting event in the 12-month cup race, but all Westwood can do there now is try to impress the captain Ian Woosnam.

In his favour is that, with Sergio García, he was Europe's top scorer in the record-breaking win in Detroit two years ago with four and a half points out of five and that he is twice a winner on the K Club course near Dublin.

The 33-year-old looked to have little hope of being a captain's pick when he had seven successive missed cuts earlier in the season, but last month he was fourth at the European Open and joint second at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Germany.

He then offered contrary evidence of his form on the opening two days at Firestone Country Club, following a nine-over-par 79 with a three-under 67.

Westwood and Darren Clarke, whose wife Heather lost her cancer battle two weeks ago, are thought to be the two favourites for the wild cards, but the Dane Thomas Bjorn and England's Ian Poulter are putting in late runs and there is still the possibility that José Maria Olazábal or Paul McGinley could be pushed out of 10th and ninth place in the standings.

Fred Couples was also a withdrawal yesterday. He was also suffering from a fever and Stephen Dodd was reported to be unwell too. Dodd did tee off, however, and was seven over after three holes.

Stewart Cink, who won the title two years ago six days after being handed a Ryder Cup wild card, was looking to do the same. On nine under he led by one from England's Paul Casey, Davis Love and also the defending champion Tiger Woods.

The world No1, seeking a fourth successive tournament win and fifth in eight years at Firestone, had been the halfway leader, but a third round 71 - his first over-par score in 18 rounds - contained four successive bogeys, and that has not happened to him since the 1996 Tour Championship.